Diving weight



i 5, 1965 K. L. APPERSON 3,192,723

DIVING WEIGHT I Filed Nov. 2. 1962 m 351 xi- (37 2 l4 [6 FIG. I

INVENTOR.

KENNETH L. APPERSON BY Y I Wk. Fm

ATTOR N EY United States Patent 3,192,723 DIVING WEIGHT Kenneth L.Apperson, 1412 Liapie Ave., Haddon Heights, NJ. Filed Nov. 2, 1962, Ser.No. 235,072 2 Claims. (Cl. 6I70) This invention relates generally toaccessories for diving, such as skin-diving and scuba diving.

As is well known, such diving requires that the diver carry weights inorder that the desired depth be reached. Upon occasion, say in anemergency, it may be necessary for a diver to quickly discard one ormore weights to facilitate upward movement. It is presently commonpractice to employ weights permanently aifixed to the divers belt; and,should the necessity arise for discarding weight the diver must discardthe entire belt. In addition to the inconvenience and lack of control indiscarding the belt with all the weights, it is quite expensive andprevents the carrying of knives and other equipment on the belt.

While there have been attempts to provide separate removable weightscarried by a divers belt, these devices have not found generalacceptance for several reasons. For example, such devices have beenrelatively complex in construction, and therefore expensive andunreliable in operation.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide a diving weight of the type described which is extremely simplein construction, requiring no moving parts, so as to be durable andreliable throughout a long useful life.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a diving weighthaving the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the precedingparagraph, which is capable of quick and easy placement on and removalfrom a divers belt, being effectively retained thereon throughout useand until it becomes necessary to discard the weight.

Still a further object of the present invention resides in the provisionof a diving weight of the type described which is capable of economicmanufacture for sale at a reasonable price, so as to be expendable, andwhich may optionally be permanently affixed to a divers belt if such bethe preference.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings,which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view showing a diving weight of thepresent invention in operative association upon a belt worn by a diver;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE1, with the belt being shown in phantom;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the diving weight of FIGURES 1and 2, the belt being shown in phantom; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along theline 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically toFIGURE 1 thereof, a diver is shown in dot-and-dash outline and generallydesignated 10. Girding the diver is a belt generally designated 11,which carries a diving weight 12 constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

The weight 12 is advantageously integrally fabricated as a single body13. The body 13 may be formed of lead, or other suitable material, leadbeing preferred both for its density, ease of fabrication, and also itsductility for a purpose appearing presently.

The body 13 is generally hexahedral in configuration, having generallyparallel front and rear surfaces 14 and 15, lower and upper surfaces 16and 17 extending between the front and rear surfaces, and end surfaces18 and 19 each extending between the respective end edges of front,rear, lower and upper surfaces.

In use, the rear or inner surface 15 is located proximate to the personof the user. Formed in the otherwise solid body 13 is a groove 20extending downward or inward from the upper body surface 17 toward andterminating short of the lower body surface 16. The groove 20, as seenin the top view FIGURE 2 is of devious or nonstraight con-figuration,and more specifically is of a generally U-shaped configuration having amedial or bight region 21 from the ends of which extend a pair ofterminal or leg regions 22 and 23. That is, the leg or end portions 22and 23 of groove 21 extend in substantial parallelism, transversely fromor normal to the bight region 21 of the groove and open at their distalends through the inner or rear surface 15 of the body 13.

Further, the groove 20 is advantageously configured to taper inwardly ordownwardly, so that the groove side walls converge in the downwarddirection from the upper body surface 17 to the bottom wall 24 of thegroove. This downwardly tapering groove configuration is best seen inFIGURES 3 and 4.

It will now be appreciated, that by the generally U- shapedconfiguration of the groove 26 having its opposite ends opening throughthe rear body surface 16, there is defined of the body a generallymedial tongue region 27 projecting upward from the lower body region2-8, while on opposite sides of the tongue 27 the body 1 3 is configuredto define a pair of upstanding end or wing portions 29 and 39,interconnected by a forward wall 31. The wing portions 29 and 30, andthe forward wall 31 all upstan-d from the lower body portion 28.

In use, the belt 11 is flexed to provide a generally U- shaped beltportion 34 which is moved e-dgewise relative to the body 13 conformablyinto the groove 20. By the devious configuration of the groove 20 andconforming reception therein of the belt portion 34, the belt is firmlyfrictionally retained in the groove when the belt is worn, unless thebelt is deliberately loosened for withdrawal or discard of the weight.Further, additional firm securement of the weight 12 to the belt 34 isobtained by the wedging action of the received belt portion 34 in thedownwardly tapering groove 20. Also, with the belt in its normalcondition of use, the belt portions 35 and 36 adjacent to the beltportion 34 are sandwiched .between the user and the body wing portions29 and 30, respectively for additional securing eifect.

The belt may, .of course, accommodate a plurality of different weights,which :may be of different sizes, as desired by the user. Further, oneor more of the weights may be permanently secured to a belt if this isthe users preference. Such permanent securement may be simply effectedby deformation of the tongue 27 forward to firm- -ly clamp the receivedbelt portion 34 between the body tongue and forward wall 31. Fabricatingthe body 13 of lead or other suitably ductile material facilitates thispermanent securement and permits repeated removal and replacement of theweights with respect to the belt.

It will now be apparent that a diver may attach or remove Weights fromthe belt while the belt is in position about the diver. Further, thismay be accomplished without loosening the belt or even touching thebuckle of the belt.

Although it was heretofore necessary with conventional diving weightsthat the belt and weights be placed on the diver after all otherequipment was in position, in order to permit quick removal of the belttogether with the Weights without entanglement, this is no longernecessary. That is, the belt may be placed on the diver in the orderdesired by the diver, as release of weights is accomplished quickly andeasily without removal of the belt. The prior danger inherent in a diverforgetting to put a weighted belt on last is therefore obviated.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides adiving weight which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is welladapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made Withinthe spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A weight for attachment to a divers belt, said weight comprising ahorizontally elongate generally rectangular solid body having top andbottom surfaces and inner and outer side surfaces, said body beingformed with an upwardly opening groove of generally U-shapedconfiguration in plan and having a bight portion extendinglongitudinally of said body and a pair of leg portions extending inangulate relation from respective ends of said bight portion through theinner side surface of said body, said bight and leg portions of saidgroove extending substantially straight downward from said top bodysurface and tapering in the direction away from said top body surface,whereby a divers belt inserted edgewise in said groove is frictionallyretained therein by the combined wedging action of the groove taper andbinding action on the belt at the bends thereof.

2, A weight according to claim 1, said bight and leg portions beingsubstantially straight to define sharp meeting angles for effectivebinding action on a received belt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,847,848 8/58Grants -457 2,970,448 2/61 Di Julio 617O 3,039,273 6/62 Swindell 61-703,090,205 5/ 63 Hurwitz et al. 61-70 EARL I. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

1. A WEIGHT FOR ATTACHMENT TO A DIVER''S BELT, SAID WEIGHT COMPRISING AHORIZONTALLY ELONGATE GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SOLID BODY HAVING TOP ANDBOTTOM SURFACES AND INNER AND OUTER SIDE SUSFACES, SAID BODY BEINGFORMED WITH AN UPWARDLY OPENING GROOVE OF GENERALLY U-SHAPEDCONFIGURATION IN PLAN AND HAVING A BIGHT PORTION EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY OF SAID BODY AND A PAIR OF LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING INANGULATE RELATION FROM RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID BIGHT PORTION THROUGH THEINNER SIDE SURFACE OF SAID BODY, SAID BIGHT AND LEG PORTIONS OF SAIDGROOVE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT DOWNWARD FROM SAID TOP BODYSURFACE AND TAPERING IN THE DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID TOP BODY SURFACE,WHEREBY A DIVER''S BELT INSERTED EDGEWISE IN SAID GROOVE IS FRICTIONALYRETAINED THEREIN BY THE COMBINED WEDGING ACTION OF THE GROOVE TAPER ANDBINDING ACTION ON THE BELT AT THE BENDS THEREOF.